How To Tell Attic Fan Is Going Bad

Your attic fan may not be turning on because of an electrical problem like a tripped circuit breaker a blown fuse or a bad connection.

How to tell attic fan is going bad.

Click here for a video tutorial. Many homeowners hear about attic fans installed by friends and neighbors and want to know if an attic fan is a good idea or just a waste of money. If the fan turns on the motor is still good. Once done test that the motor still works by plugging the motor into an extension cord that is connected to an outlet.

Before you start make sure the thermostat is set to cool and that the temperature setting is as low as it will go. There is an automatic monitoring mechanism for the attic fan that switches it on or off according to the internal temperature. Step 1 test the fan motor. Let s discuss the primary concern homeowners have about attic fan installation.

Attic ventilation fans whether hard wired or powered by their own solar panels seem like a low cost and effective way to help keep your house cool. They are more powerful than bathroom exhaust fans and clear out a greater volume of air. Just like a bathroom exhaust fan attic fans direct accumulated hot air out while bringing in cool air from outside. Turn the attic fan off and unplug the motor from the thermostat.

And since the roof must be penetrated for some attic fan installations there is concern about that it may lead to water damage. However the utility of attic ventilation fans is actually quite a controversial topic. To test the fan motor on your air conditioner you ll have to do a continuity test. I don t know why so many people are so defensive about power attic ventilators but here are a few of the things they ve said to me in the comments.

Step 2 test the thermostat. The downside of attic ventilation fans. Good insulation reduces fan effectiveness. If the attic fan isn t turning on it could be an electrical issue a problem with the thermostat or the motor of the fan that s not working.